So we've been doing some following lately of Solange's My Damn Blog (quirky title that's for sure but straight to the point so we likey) and girl has major style. It's not just her totally haute hair that we adore but it's her love of prints that makes her both a style maven and bohemian delight. Add her chronicles of wanderlust and she is our fave lady of 2012, so far. The photography is quite elegant and purposeful as well. Check out some of our fave looks...

So we've all been there. Or maybe you've been lucky enough and haven't yet experienced what I'll refer to as Straight Ends Syndrome (A good example). It's what us curly girls get when we've been under moisturizing, over heating, über styling, and done too much shampooing.  This is something that we at Pure Alchemy have lived, experienced, and still continually battle in the quest for gorgeously and versatilely styled natural hair.

The ultimate issue is hair elasticity and the root causes of how it's been lost.  Hair elasticity is measured by that bounce or spring-back in curly, coily, and wavy tresses.  It is essentially what we covet and require to get us to our most glamorous curl.  Rather than focusing on how to measure it, because girl you know when your ends look dip-dyed and fried and are bone straight or waving to straightness while it's all nice and curly in the middle, we want to give our tips for giving your hair an instant curl boost. 

The trick here is to rejuvenate your hair's elasticity by using conditioning and moisturizing products designed to restore elasticity.  Products infused with horsetail and nettle extracts are perfect for this.  Our favorite way to encourage the curls is to use a great conditioner, comb the product through for even application, and scrunch away. Scrunch hair all over. Let the conditioner or deep treatment sit on locks for 10-15 minutes.  You can always use a hair steamer for better penetration. I love the powers of steam.

Conditioner isn't enough. Truly hydrated hair starts at the cleansing process. Shampoos that don't strip the hair but leave it soft are necessary.  I once got into the habit of lathering 3 times every time I washed.  Sure it sounds neurotic but it actually was a practice performed by a stylist I only saw every few months and I started doing it a few times a week.  Bad news soon followed.  I started to look like I was sticking my fingers in the electrical sockets, a la the picture above.  From then on a daily moisture routine followed to recondition my tresses.  I much prefer the cream moisturizing products to oils to use on a daily basis. It soon worked and the frizzy waves immediately turned back into curls. 

Sometimes all the trying in the world can't fix the damage of the past.  That's where a good old fashioned cut comes in.  Sometimes you've got to let it go and start over.  Beef up your moisture regimen going forward without looking back.  Condition, condition, condition, gently cleanse, and hydrate daily with a good creme concoction.